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N a t i o n a l W r i t e r ' s M o n t h l y
The marketing e-mag for
professional writers and journalists
March, 1998
8,300 Subscribers
Subscribe/Unsubscribe instructions appear at the end of this issue.
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This issue sponsored by:
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MORRIS PUBLISHING
FREE step-by-step guide to Self Publishing gives you all features and
prices up-front. You're ensured quality with in-house printing and
bindery services. We offer low minimum quantities - only 200 books!
Call for our FREE guide. 800-650-7888, ext. WE3
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THE WRITE MARKETS REPORT
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to Be A Syndicated Newspaper Columnist (32 pp) AND our disk of 6,000+
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INK-LINK SOFTWARE
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WRITERS, ORGANIZE YOUR MANUSCRIPTS, INCOME AND EXPENSES. With Ink Link 2.0: Track your submissions, writing income, and expenses;
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NATIONAL WRITER'S MONTHLY. A division of The Write Markets Report.
ISSN 1094-1541. Copyright 1998 Deep South Publishing Company.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
==============
Q&A
From the Publisher's Desk
In the News
Free Mags!
Guidelines by e-mail
Guidelines on-line
Paying Markets
Writing With Numbers by Deborah Clark
Classifieds
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Q&A
=====
Q: Is there an address (e-mail or otherwise) for the new ESPN
Magazine?
A: The only e-mail we can locate is espnet1@espn.com
Q. What are the benefits for professional writers attending a
writer's conference? I am an established writer and am only
interested in networking to obtain more assignments.
A. I attended the Texas Outdoor Writers Association Conference in
Waco, Texas two weeks ago. A Houston Chronicle columnist, who was
also there, later wrote about a book written by an author he had met
at that conference. In addition to networking with other writers, you
can expect to meet several editors at the many social functions
offered by conference coordinators and sponsors. You can also
accumulate enough article ideas from sponsors to keep you busy
sending queries for several weeks. Expect travel and hotel discounts
associated with professional conferences and "freebies" offered by
sponsors. Some offer free meals during the entire conference
duration. Keep your eyes open while traveling for more story ideas.
I watched a house burn to the ground near Waco, met the editor of the
community newspaper in Troy, Texas, and visited the Branch Dividian
Compound where I was filmed by a television crew documenting the 5th
anniversary of the siege.
Conferences are a wonderful resource for writers and I attend as many
as my schedule allows. Look for me next at the third annual conference
of The Association of Authors and Publishers in Houston, Texas on
April 25th. This year's conference, From Manuscript to Market,
includes 14 sessions on three workshop tracks: Traditional Publishing,
Self Publishing, and Marketing. For sign-up information, contact
Cathy Stucker at cstucker@flash.net.
Do you have a question for National Writer's Monthly? Send it by
e-mail to ForWriters@reporters.net.
FROM THE PUBLISHER'S DESK:
==============================
24-Hour Short Story Contest guidelines now available
------------------------------------------------------------------
The 1998 Annual 24-Hour Short Story Contest guidelines are now online
at: http://members.tripod.com/~deepsouth/index-wm.html Here, you will
find prize descriptions and rules.
Send entry fee of $2 to:
The Write Markets Report
1006 S. Country Club
Shoreacres, TX 77571
Entry must include your name, e-mail, address, and phone number.
If you would like to contribute a door prize and be listed as a
contest sponsor, please contact our office at your earliest
convenience at ForWriters@reporters.net or (281)470-8397.
In the News
===========
Prima Publishing Launches New Division
Prima Publishing, one of the leading independently owned and managed
book publishers in the United States, has created a new division,
Prima Health. According to Ben Dominitz, founder and president of
Prima Publishing, "Over the past eight years, Prima has published
health books widely acclaimed for their high quality and expert
authorship. As a result of the popularity of our books and the growth
of the industry, our health publishing program has grown to the point
where it has become an independent division." Writer's Guidelines
are online at: http://www.primapublishing.com/info/subguide.html
The New York Times Electronic Media Company
Richard Meislin has been named the new Editor in Chief of The New
York Times Electronic Media Company
Virtue
Virtue Magazine (NWM, Feb. 98) has ceased operations.
New Magazines
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Mars & Venus
Spinoff of John Gray's bestseller, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From
Venus. Premier issue features: 365 Days of Love, What Makes
Me Feel Loved (interviews with celebrities); 20 Years of Passion (how
to make your marriage last forever); and The One Sex Secret You Must
Know. CONTACT: April P. Bernard, Managing Editor, Mars & Venus, News
America Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 500, Radnor, PA 19088.
FREE MAGS!
=============
The following *paying* markets offer free sample issues on request.
Please request sample only if you plan to query them in the future.
Black & White
1312 20th St. South
Birmingham, AL 35205
Bi-weekly city paper covering music, film, the arts, and local
news.
Pays $75-350
CI Magazine
1507 9th Ave.
Tampa, FL 33605
General interest, lifestyle publication.
Pays negotiable flat fee
Compensation & Benefits Review
American Management Association
1601 Broadway
New York, NY 10019-7420
In-depth features on compensation, benefits strategy, management
issues, and news briefs.
Pays flat fee
Event Magazine
611 S. Myrtle Ave., Suite A
Clearwater, FL 33756
Send SASE with $0.78 postage.
The arts, literature, personality profiles, fashion, beauty, health
and fitness, film, food, and short stories.
Pays $35
Global Investing
1040 1st Avenue, Suite 305
New York, NY 10022
(800) 388-4237
Stocks and bonds.
Pays $300-400
GUIDELINES BY E-MAIL
======================
The following *paying* markets provide writer's guidelines by e-mail:
Aruba Nights, Bonaire Nights, Cancun Nights, Curacao Nights, and St.
Maarten Nights
Five lifestyle and travel magazines for visitors to these locations.
Pays $100-250
nights@odyssee.net
America's Civil War, Aviation History, Military History, Vietman, Wild
West, and World War II Magazines.
Six history magazines published by Cowles Media.
Pays $150-300
cheryls@cowles.com
Editor & Publisher Magazine
Trade publication serving the newspaper industry.
Pays flat fee
edpub@mediainfo.com
Independent Publisher
Trade publication for publishers.
Pays $65-375
editorial@smallpress.com
GUIDELINES ON-LINE
=====================
The following *paying* markets provide writer's guidelines on-line:
Allyn & Bacon
A division of Simon & Schuster
Pays royalties
http://www.abacon.com/about/prospect.html
Dollhouse Miniatures
Miniatures magazine for crafters and collectors.
Pays ave. $150 for features
http://macwww.kalmbach.com/dhm/Submissions/Guide.html
GOWANUS
Fiction and non-fiction.
Pays $15-25
http://www.dorsai.org/~tjhubsc/response.htm
ISLANDS magazine
Covering island travel.
Pays $0.50/word
http://www.islandsmag.com/guidelines.html
Whitehorse Press
The Motorcycle Information Company
Currently looking for books on motorcycle technology, motorcycle
restoration (skills, techniques, etc.), and riding skills (street,
off-road)
http://www.whitehorsepress.com/writers.htm
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MARKET LISTINGS
Reprinted from The Write Markets Report
Free e-issue on request to ForWriters@reporters.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic Traveler, 6405 Flank Dr., Harrisburg, PA 17112. Website
. Tom Huntington, Editor (all sections,
except for Superior Stays, which should go to Judy Sopronyi). 80-90%
freelance. "Historic Traveler, 'The Guide to Great Historic
Destinations,' is the magazine for people who want to stand in
history's footsteps. Through an entertaining and informative mix of
history and travel, the magazine guides its readers around historic
destinations in the United States and Canada as well as select
international sites. The magazine's strong writing, striking
photography, informative maps and up-to-date travel information make
the history in its pages come alive. Even armchair travelers can
appreciate Historic Traveler's accounts of the places where history
happened." Welcomes new writers. Circ. 125K. Bimonthly. Pays on
acceptance. Time between acceptance and publication varies. Buys
varying rights. No reprints. Responds 8 weeks. Sample $5. Subscription
$11.97; $16.95 Canada; $35.97 other. Guidelines by mail with SASE.
NEEDS: Good story ideas with strong history and travel aspects. Pays
flat fee of $250 for Superior Stays; $300 for other departments, $50
for Reviews, Side Trips, and Landmarks; features start at $500 for
1,500-3,000 words plus a sidebar of service information called the
Trip Planner. Submit query with clips by mail with SASE. PHOTOS/ART:
Yes. HINTS: "Make sure you're not proposing a history article. We need
a strong travel angle for our stories."
Nature Photographer, P.O. Box 2019, Quincy, MA 02269. P(617)847-0095.
F(617)847-0952. E-mail . Evamarie Mathaey,
Editor; Helen Longest-Slaughter, Photo Editor. 75-80% freelance.
"Informative articles to improve technique for all aspects of nature
photography including macro, flowers, wildlife, landscapes,
underwater, and nature abstracts. How-to, special techniques articles,
articles highlighting photo travel opportunities and locations."
Welcomes new writers. Circ. 25K. Bimonthly. Pays end of month of
publication. Publishes ms 3-36 months after acceptance. Buys one-time
rights. Accepts reprints (pays 75% of normal article rate). Responds
3-6 months. Sample for SASE. Subscription $16.45; $22.45 Canada;
$25.45 other. Guidelines by mail with SASE or by e-mail. NEEDS: How-to
articles, especially advanced how-to articles. Pays $75-150 for
article/photo package of 500-2,500 words. Submit query by mail with
SASE. PHOTOS/ART: "Slides and all images must be taken in the WILD. No
set-up or captive photographs used in Nature Photographer. No
computer manipulated or enhanced images used in Nature Photographer."
Pays $15-30 for inside; $100 for cover.
Net Profit$, 9200 Sunset Blvd., Suite 720, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
F(310)786-2458. Website . Attn:
Editorial Dept. 70% freelance. The magazine for the Internet
entrepreneur. Welcomes new writers. Circ. 100K. Bimonthly. Pays 30
days after acceptance. Publishes ms 4-6 weeks after acceptance. Buys
first and electronic rights. Considers reprints. Response time varies.
Sample free on request with 8.5x11 SASE. Subscription $24; $48 outside
US. Guidelines are still being developed. NEEDS: Queries. Pay varies,
approx. $0.30/word and up. Submit query by mail with SASE or by fax.
PHOTOS/ART: Needs vary. HINTS: "Please have some familiarity with the
markets/industries the pub you are soliciting covers."
Off Duty, 3505 Cadillac Ave., Suite O-105, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Attn:
Editor. 60-70% freelance, but most of that is written by contributing
editors and long-time freelancers. "Off Duty is a four-color, general
interest bi-monthly for the US military community around the world. We
have editions for Europe, the Pacific and America, which are
distributed free on base at virtually every installation of all four
service branches around the world. Being that we're "off duty," our
focus is on leisure-time activities and topics that appeal to the
entire military family, as well as the single service member. As such,
we do very little, if any, duty- or job-related editorial. Our primary
topics are travel, home life, personal finance, health & fitness,
food/recipes, education, automotive news, and consumer electronics
(audio, video, photo and computers)." Occasionally works with new
writers, "particularly for our 'Dialogue' column, but that's a
commentary column written solely by female members of the military
community." Circ. 507K. Bimonthly. Pays net 30 days after acceptance.
Publishes ms 2-3 months after acceptance. Buys one-time world rights.
Accepts reprints that have not appeared in a competitor. Responds 1-4
months. Sample for 8.5x11 SASE with $1.75 postage. Subscription
controlled. Guidelines by mail with SASE. NEEDS: "Most of our '98
editorial has already been assigned. The only remaining openings at
this time are: Dude Ranches/Cattle Drive Vacations and the Chesapeake
Bay." Pays $0.20/word for 1,200-1,500 words (2 page article) or 2,000
words (travel or cover article). Submit query by mail with SASE.
PHOTOS/ART: "We'll use photos from the author, but don't send photos
with a query. Only send photos with the finished manuscript." Pays
$150-250/photo depending on the size used. HINTS: "Don't waste your
time sending simultaneous queries or any proposal that could run in
any of several magazines. We only consider articles that can only
appear in Off Duty. Even our travel articles usually must have a
military slant with at least information about military discounts on
nearby on-base accommodations. In the case of Chesapeake Bay, for
instance, the article will highlight the attractions of particular
interest to military people, in addition to other attractions. In
short, you don't have much chance of writing for Off Duty if you don't
get to know us and our readers. When it comes to US travel articles,
we never feature a small destination or attraction. Stories about a
little town off the beaten track, a single military museum, or
anything else that only makes for an afternoon or overnight visit are
not for us. If a reader isn't likely to travel cross-country to spend
several days at the subject of your travel query, we're not
interested. We are also not looking for the personal experience type
of article; that is, anything along the lines of "When I served in
WWII, me and my buddies..." However, the story of a personal
experience that's used to anchor a subject with which our readership
can relate to and learn from is suitable. For instance, an article by
a military spouse about his/her experiences while adopting a child,
with lots of advice and quotes from authorities about the pitfalls and
remedies, is right up our alley. Other things we aren't looking for:
poetry, fiction and cartoons."
PC Portables, 8484 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Beverly Hills, CA
90211. P(213)651-5400. F(213)651-1201. E-mail .
Website . Theresa Barry Nozick,
Managing Editor. 25% freelance. Magazine devoted to portable
technology. Reviews of the latest portable computers; software; tools.
Features on how to use portable technology. Monthly columns on PC
Cards, the Internet, and Wireless technology, plus "Mobile Insights"
column from renowned portable expert, J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D. Monthly
Buyer's Guide to approximately 200 portable computer, ruggedized
computers and handheld devices. Welcomes new writers. Monthly. Pays on
acceptance. Publishes ms 2 months after acceptance. Buys first rights.
No reprints. Responds immediately. Sample for e-mail request to
. Subscription $17.95. Guidelines by e-mail to
. NEEDS: Mss on portable technology (see description
above). Pays approximately $0.50/word for varying ms lengths. Submit
query or complete ms by e-mail. PHOTOS/ART: "Authors are responsible
for obtaining photos from manufacturers."
Sailing Magazine, P.O. Box 249, 125 E. Main St., Port Washington, WI
53074. P(414)284-3494. F(414)284-7764. E-mail
<75553.3666@compuserve.com>. Website .
Micca Hutchins, Editor. 20% freelance. Sailing Magazine is for the
sailor committed to the sport. All kinds of sailing are featured on
big pages full of pictures and text complemented by technical
articles. Welcomes new writers. Circ. 40K. Monthly. Pays on
publication. Publishes ms 6 months after acceptance. Buys one-time
rights. Rarely accepts reprints. Responds 2 months. Sample for written
request and $5. Subscription $28; $40 outside US. Guidelines by mail
with SASE. NEEDS: Features with pictures. Pays $250-500 for 800-2,500
words. Submit complete ms with cover letter by mail with SASE.
PHOTOS/ART: Pays $50-800.
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WRITING WITH NUMBERS
By Deborah Clark
There were 5,899,560,361 people in the world on March
1, 1998. One in twelve American women will be stalked in
their lifetime. Jamaica exports 70% of its yellow yams to
the U.S.
We are surrounded by numbers. The one thing these
statistics have is common is they represent money to the
writer who can turn them into a story.
With the numbers and the right slant, a writer can
market one idea to many publications with a
minimum of rewriting. The statistics about American women
being stalked can be used to create one piece on safety for
women; a second one on the most dangerous/safest places to
live; a third one about how to obtain legal injunctions
against a person; another one on celebrities who have been
stalked, and one on how far stalkers will go to stay near
those they are fixated on. As demonstrated, one little
statistic can go a long way.
Finding statistics is easy using the Net. Governments,
associations, and interest groups provide a plethora of data,
all for the asking. A metasearch engine, a search robot
that will search all other sources and engines and provide
results, is one of the best ways to find the sites that
provide the data. A good site for a listing of metasearch
engines is:
http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/chieber/srchtool3.html
Using numbers will provide data to support query
letters as well. Providing preliminary data can help sway
the editor in the writer's favor. Editors like working
with writers who are prepared.
Writers are limited only by their creativity and
research skills when it comes to making money by the
numbers. Look at numbers and think of markets that might be
interested in the information that statistics represent.
Deborah Clark is a freelance writer currently working on a marketing
handbook for writers. She can be reached at cminders@escape.ca.
================================================================
ATTENTION CHRISTIAN WRITERS. Don't know beans about getting your book
published? WinePress Publishing Can Help! We offer a complete
publishing package which includes: Professional-yet-affordable book
packaging; Press kits and other valuable marketing help; Publicity and
distribution to trade for qualifying projects; CBA (Christina
Booksellers Assn.) and NRB (Natl. Religious Broadcasters) exposure;
800# inbound order processing, packing and shipping, including
warehousing your books; Automatic listing in in "Books in Print" and
"Christian Books in Print"; Your book offered in The WinePress Online
Bookstore and the new Books4Him Christian Bookstore at the WinePress
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WinePress Publishing, P.O. Box 1406, Mukilteo, WA 98275.
800-326-4674
Check out our Internet bookstore:
http://www.winepresspub.com
================================================================
C L A S S I F I E D S
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OUR CALL TO ALL WRITERS...Let our "hunters" do your search...Full
service agency. For guidelines, send SASE to: Wolfe Literary Agency,
P.O.Box 7209, Garden City, GA 31408. Phone 912-335-7555. Fax
912-335-4053. E-mail wolfe1951@aol.com.
Editors note: Wolfe's phone lines were down for several days thanks
to an El Nino windstorm. However, their e-mail was getting through.
================================================================
SCREENWRITERS: PITCH YOUR MOVIE SCRIPT TO 1,000+ producers and
studio execs through Spec Script Marketplace. Best marketing bang
for the buck: Only $29 per script. Information and free sample:
(310) 396-1662, P.O. Box 1365, Santa Monica, CA 90406. E-mail
scriptmarketplace@compuserve.com
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BOOK AUTHORS AND SCREENWRITERS, FIND OUT What Hollywood's Buying and
Who's Doing The Buying The Hollywood Literary Sales Directory 1998
Edition is now available. The sale of hundreds of published and
unpublished books, screenplays and pitches documented. Discover
producers, agents and development executives who deal with
first-timers! Book includes agent phone/address list. 1-800-207-5022
://www.hollywoodlitsales.com E-mail scripts@lalc.k12.ca.us
================================================================
SELL YOUR PUBLISHED/UNPUBLISHED BOOK TO HOLLYWOOD!
Pitch to 1,000+ movie buyers, producers and movies executives through
Spec Book Marketplace. Free information. P.O. Box 1365, Santa Monica,
CA 90406 (310) 396-1662
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VISIT WRITING NOW: http://www.writingnow.com
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SELL OVERSEAS! 180 Lucrative worldwide markets
seeking American articles. Reprints welcome!! Free details/SASE. S.
O'Connor, 2531 39th Ave., San Francisco, CA
94116.
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NEW LITERARY AGENCY SEEKING WRITERS! Guaranteed Representation!
Send SASE to: The Vandeloecht Literary Agency, Dept. WE, P.O. Box
515, Montross, VA 22520.
=================================================================
=================================================================
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of 65 characters per line. $15 for each additional
line.
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ADVERTISERS: Cost is per issue and calculated based on number of
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Contact NWM by e-mail for our electronic rate card and contract.
Write to ForWriters@reporters.net with "rate card" in the subject
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National Writer's monthly is the free, marketing e-mag for
freelance writers and journalists. Reprinting and circulation of
_entire issue_is permitted for non-profit use only.
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National Writer's Monthly is a division of The Write Markets Report -
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